The web hosting industry is a large and sprawling beast of a sector with hosting providers and users alike spanning the globe; as a result there is very little in the way of continuity between providers or users. That ill began to be remedied in 2004 when the first annual hosting convention organized by web hosting insider firm iNetInteractive, dubbed HostingCon, provided a meeting place for companies ranging from hardware manufacturers to hosting providers to come together and exchange ideas. While the exact effect of this meeting of the minds is difficult to measure, you can be sure that the wealth of sales, service and technical knowledge shared by presenters and attendees plays a major role in the way the industry evolves today.
Following its humble beginning as a minor draw for hosting firm owners, HostingCon has seen attendance grow from only a few hundred attendees in 2004 when it took place in Chicago to over 1200 when held in Las Vegas two years later. The 2008 incarnation saw 2000 people attend as the event returned to the windy city and the currently running HostingCon 2009, being held in Washington, D.C., is expected to draw more then 5000 professionals representing every facet of the industry.
From a hosting provider’s point of view, the annual HostingCon event is unmissable. Nowhere else can you so easily discuss the intricate nature of the business with the best and brightest in the industry on topics ranging from new technology to efficient accounting. The many booths rented and operated by hosting firms draw crowds of tech-savvy web developers from around the world, presenting a sales opportunity that can’t be matched in any other setting and rounding out a what can always be counted on to be a worthwhile three days.
What about hosting users? As with any product or service, consumers can only benefit by educating themselves about the things they buy and HostingCon offers an information overload that will see both novices and the most powerful of power-users walk away with a better understanding of web hosting in general and their needs in particular. Whether you host a burgeoning family blog or a complex online business presence, knowing more about the available technology and the companies that offer it will help you to make better decisions at every juncture. If the location is accessible and you can spare at least a few hours, you should attend!
With the event’s popularity growing every year, iNetInteractive saw fit to follow up presentations from representatives from Google, Microsoft and Rackspace today with the early announcement that HostingCon 2010 would be held in Austin, Texas from July 19 – July 21, more evidence of HostingCon’s status as the largest conference and trade show serving the hosted services industry. Better book your booth now!
